What a strange time to be going to a gig.

On the Tuesday, I bought a ticket to see one of my favourite bands, composed by some of my favourite people, Light You Up, at the Barfly, in London.

On the Friday, a terrorist attack occurs in a gig venue in my hometown. Almost a hundred people die doing the thing they love the most, the thing I love the most.

On the Sunday, Light You Up are playing the Barfly, in London, and I have a ticket.

Of course, on the back of my mind, I worried. I wondered if I should go, if I would be safe. I was a little bit scared that someone would come in with a firearm and shoot everyone. Of course I did. Of course it will happen for a long time now.

But I still went, and boy, I'm glad I did.

First band on is called Homebound, originating from Farnham. For the pop punk outfit, London is the closest thing they have to a hometown show, and it went down very well for them, for the crowd gave them a very warm welcome. I missed out on the first song, being in the queue down the stairs, but what I saw was enough to convince me of the guys' talent. Vocalist Charlie Boughton posi-jumps all over the place and the whole band's energy is generally endearing. It's obvious that they love what they are doing and that they want to do it well. (Disclaimer : they did). Considering how fast the British pop-punk scene is growing at the moment, thanks to the likes of Neck Deep, As It Is or Roam, it is hard to imagine how Homebound would not follow in their footsteps and get themselves some well-deserved attention.

Next up is Birmingham based Beaumont, whose sound is slightly more emo and alternative than Homebound's pop punk. It didn't take me long to be drawn to the outfit's music and my mind stopped wandering places it shouldn't have wandered in the blink of an eye. I couldn't turn my eyes away, I couldn't take my mind anywhere else, and I was completely in awe of the quartet's music and energy. Spencer Edmonds' vocals are simply charming and ones to remember, and there is nothing I hope more, now, than a bright future for this lot. Closer track Boys & Girls gets the crowd going and the fans make themselves heard - hopefully, next time I catch them on a stage, there will be lots more people singing along, and I will be sure to join them.

The next British pop punk sensation is set to be WSTR. The Liverpool based outfit's debut EP, SKRWD, has been labelled as "close to perfection" by RockSound and they have just been announced as support on Neck Deep's upcoming UK tour, alongside Creeper. After hearing about them recently, I had yet to check them out and their main support slot on this tour was the perfect opportunity. They were known by a fairly large part of the crowd and the finger pointers were out and about, shouting every word back at vocalist Sammy Clifford. The band is on the gnarlier end of the pop-punk spectrum, reminding me of The Story So Far or Neck Deep, and they stand out when they start covering Limp Bizkit's classic Break Stuff, the moment being the occasion for the very first moshpits of the evening. It's quite obvious as to why WSTR seem to be getting places and in the next few months, we'll probably hear a lot about them.

I found out about Light You Up in a boiling hot Flapper, in Birmingham, back in July 2014. I remembered the energy and the adoring crowd they had drawn, and it, quite simply put, escalated from there. I saw them supporting Four Year Strong on the Pure Noise Records Tour, which is where they propelled themselves on the endless list of "my favourite bands and favourite people". Their November run is their first ever headline tour and for me, it is the first time I get to see them play their own show, with their own crowd, and with a lengthy set. As soon as the first song, Foxfire, kicks in, everyone in the audience seems to be as one with the band and the smile on my face is here to stay. Light You Up's path in our scene reminds me of Decade's, as both bands are often thrown in the pop-punk, pizza and posi-jumping pool when they should have a space of their own somewhere else, outside of these categories, for they are truly special bands. The Birmingham based outfit's music, which stands out thanks to singer Tom Napier's use of the acoustic guitar on most of the band's tracks, is a recipe for happiness and positivity.

You know, there's always something different when you see a band supporting another one and when you see them on their own show. If you want to come back after their support slot, it means they're doing something right by your books, and what Light You Up does more than perfectly right by my standards is communicate with their crowd, unite with them - during their forty-five minute set, you feel like you're a part of something greater, of a family, and you are as one with the band and everyone else around you. Tracks like You Are Waiting For A Train or Lifebox (a fan favourite that, sadly, does not get played often) make for incredible and lovely live moments and great singalong opportunities. Closer All We've Ever Known, introduced by a very honest and heartfelt speech on how we only have one shot at life and we owe it to ourselves to do what makes us happiest rings truest on this particular time and brings smiles on faces (and tears in my eyes).

Quite simply put, Light You Up's headliner offered me a forty-five minute long bubble of happiness, and, last Sunday, I can promise you that it was what I needed the most.

As I said on various social networks, there had to be a first gig after, you know, and I'm glad it was this one, for it was a very cheerful moment suspended in time. It reminded me why I love live music so much and why I should never give up on that love, why I should always fight for it.

They say to put up a fucking fight for what you love. Moments like these are reasons why.

Dear Light You Up, thank you very much.